Teaching as Inquiry

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Transcript of Teaching as Inquiry

Our 'coffee in the staffroom' moment..."Has anyone else noticed that these students are a bit hopeless when it comes to doing research online?

I give them a topic, and even a few starter websites, but they just go to the first thing thrown up by Google and copy and paste.

Aren't they supposed to be digital natives?Assessment resultsTalking to the studentsWellbeingEngagementParent feedbackTeacher feedbackWhere will concentrating our energies make the most difference?What scanning isScanning is■ an inquiry and evidence-seeking mindset;■ a wide perspective on learning; and■ involves finding out about what is happening for all learners from their perspectives, and from those of their families and the community.What focusing isFocusing■ uses information from the scan to identify an area for concentrated team learning and action;■ usually requires collection of further information to ensure accurate understanding of the situation;■ builds on strengths as well as gaining clarityon challenges; and■ identifies a common area many people can buy into.Maybe we should find out a bit more about this, it affects their work in a lot of our learning areas."What developing hunches isDeveloping hunches is about■ getting deeply held beliefs out on the table about our own practices;■ our practices that we can do something about;■ checking our assumptions for accuracy before moving ahead."Have we ever actually taught the students how to do research online?

Do we even know how to do this ourselves?"What new learning isNew learning is■ motivated by and connected to changing the learning experiences of learners;■ directly linked to the focus identified in the earlier phase of the spiral;■ about understanding why new ways of doing things are better than previous practices;■ sustained and supported over time.Genuine inquiry needs space to take risks, make mistakes and try again – and again.What taking action isTaking action is■ learning more deeply about new ways of doing things;■ informed by a deep understanding of why new practices are more effective than others;■ about evaluating the impact on learners;■ about acknowledging feelings of vulnerability and building conditions of trust.What checking isChecking is■ fundamental to an inquiry evidence-seeking mindset;■ about high expectations that our actions will make a difference for all learners;■ about providing information on the impact of our actions;■ about beginning to set the stage for what comes next.